Elastic horseshoe pad



Feb. 27, l1940. y D B, sLAK 2,191,834

ELASTIC HORSESHOE PAD Filed April 9, 1938 Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNlTED-TATES lPATENT GFFiCE v l *n 2,191,934 v 4ELAs'rIc. HoRsEsnoE PAD vDaniel B. slack, Westerville, ohio Application April 9, 1938, serialA No. 201,137 t sclaims. (o1. 16s- 28) l This invention relates to elastic horseshoe pads and is directed particularly to a pad to be disposed between the horses foot and the shoe applied-thereto for the purpose of correcting and` "P preventing a certain disorder-known as contracted heels. v It hasbeen noted in the care and handling of show horses that they are particularly susceptibley to the disease of contracted heelsb'ecause the hard shell-like walls of the hoofs are permitted to grow to such a length that the frog does not contact the ground. Since no contact between the frog and the ground takes place,l the blood does not circulate properly in the hoois andthe 'u Vheels commence to contract, causing the horse to become lame. The present invention hasbeen designed particularly for use on show horses and hasbeen foundv veryeifective in preventing as well ask curing contracted heels.

2.0 l The primary object ofthe inventionresides in the provision of a pad having a body conforming in outline to a hoof and having registering enlargements on the'top and bottom surfaces of the pad. The enlargement on the top` engages the inclined surfaes of the under side of the foot on either side of the frog to cause a spreading ofv the foot. I

It isI also an object of the invention toprovide a pad of the ltype mentioned vwith means for causing a spreading of the foot, the spreading action commencing at the quarters and gradually increasing to the heel portion of the foot.

A still further object resides in providing a pad having an enlargement on the top, this enlargement having upwardly and inwardly inclined side portions which engage the under side of the foot on. either yside of the frog, the top wall of the enlargement being slightly spaced from the frog to permit the upward movement of the enlargement before engagement withthe frog, the upward movement causing a spreading ofthe foot due to the wedge-like shape of the enlargement.

Other objectsI will be apparent from the following description taken in connection. with the drawing forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing: l Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing vthe upper side of a pad formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the under side of the pad disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the pad shown in Fig. 1;

o Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view horses foot. openings formed in the shoe and through the side of the frog portion Il.

taken on the plane indicated bythe line IV-I of Fig. 3; y

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional Wiew taken through a horses foot witlrthe pad' and y* shoe in place thereon; "v6

Fig. 6-is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Referring morev particularly to the drawing,

the numeral I designates the body portion' of '310 the pad. This portion is a thin at sheet conforming in outline to a horses hoof and is made of rubber or some similarcomposition and has rembedded therein one or more lfabric layers 2'to vtoughen l the body and to` prevent premature 1 breakage. Formed integrally with the body I on the upper side is an enlarged lug 3. This lug is substantially as wide-'at `the rear end 'as thev rear edge of the body I. yThe sides ofthe lug converge toward the front and terminate sub- A20 stantially in a point at'the center-of the body I. The upper surface of the lug is inclineddownwardly toward the front in orderto conform with the contour of the under side of the horses foot. A second enlarged lug 4 is provided on the side 25 of the pad at the rear end thereof. The under surface of the pad 4 is serrated as at ti to prevent the horses foot from slipping when it engages the groundv surface. The enlargement 4 is also yas wide at the tracklas the rear edge of 30 the pad body and conforms in shape to the rear portion of the body for a short distance fromthe rear edge. The forward portion of the lug i also converges and substantially disappears at the center of the body portion. When the pad 35 is applied to the horses foot, the sides of the lug 4 are trimmed down as at 6 in Fig. 6 to receive the horses shoe I and the pad is disposed between the shoe 'I and the under side of the Securing nails 6 passy through 40 pad into` the horn-like covering of the hoof to secure the shoe and pad in connection with the horses foot. v

Prior to `attaching the pad to the foot, the lug 45 y3 is trimmed to t the particular foot to which it is being applied. In trimming the lug 1%,` the side surfaces 9 are out to t the inclined surfaces I0 of the under side of the foot at either When the proper angle is secured, the upper surface of the lug is also trimmed to provide clearance of approximately one-eighth of an inch between the lug and the frog I I. This clearance will permit some upward movement of the lug before the shape at which time the pad can be removed and need not be replaced until the foot again shows a tendency to contract.

I have found that badly contracted feet can be corrected through continued use of this pad Lio but that the pad must be replaced about every four to six weeks since the foot will respond to the spreading action and the pad will become ineiective in that time. It has also been `found desirable to use the pad to prevent the hoof from contracting even when the'hoof is in normal condition. The pad need not be used kcontinuously but just often enough to keep the hoof in its natural state. When the pad is in applied position on a horses foot, the under surface of the lug 5 will be ydisposed l.either ush with the bottom surface of the `shoe or even aslight distance below the same so that the pressure will be transmitted directly to the upper lug and to the horses foot.y The lugs are extended to the center of the pad and are reduced in thickness atv this portion in order that slighter pressure wll be applied to the quarters of the foot and -t-he spreading action will begin at this point.

VWhile I have shown and described my improved pad in its preferredform, I do not desire to Lbe limited by the showing but rather yby the vscope of the following claims,

What is claimed is;

1. An elastic pad for horses feet comprising a flat resilient body conforming in outline to a horse hoof, registering enlargements formed inf tegrally With the top and bottom surfaces of said body, the thickness of said enlargements decreasing from the rear of said body to the center thereof, the enlargement on the top being nar pointed at the forward end, the `side ysurfaces of said last-named enlargement being inclined toward one another. f

3. An elastic pad -for horses feet comprising a flat resilient body conforming in outline to ar horse hoof, enlarged lugs provided on the top and bottom surfaces of said body, the rear ends of said lugs being substantially as wide as said body at the back edge thereof, the side surfaces of the top lug converging toward the top and front.

4. In horse shoeing equipment, -a pad formed for attachment to lthe under side of ahoof, .said pad comprising a at resilient body conforming in outlineto the hoof, and a lug provided on tthe upper side of said body, the side surfaces of said lug being inclined to correspond to the inclinedV4 under surfacesof the hoof .at the sides yof ,the

frog portion of the foot, the upper surface of the.

lug being spaced from the frog lwhen the pad is in applied position and lunder substantially no pressure. v v

t 5. An elastic pad for horses feet comprising a at resilient body conforming in outline :te a horse hoof, a wedgeshaped lug hai/'111g upwardly .and inwardlyinclined side surfaces formed on the upper surface of .said body, .a `second ylug pro'y vided on the underside of said body in regis'- tration with said rst lug, the thickness of a portion of said second lug bei-ng slightly lgreater than that of the shoe on which the ypad is posi-l tioned.r

DANIEL B. SLACK; 

